Bogong Sponsored Athletes
Matt Crehan - Trail Runner
Ashlee Hendy - Climber
Sia Kindberg - Trail Runner
Mitch Docker - Cyclist & Trail Runner
Youth Athletes - Climbers
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Matt Crehan started running relatively late in the game. Not an overly sporty kid, in high school Matt used to swim on and off, and was a volunteer surf life saver. Through his 20s, Matt continued swimming sporadically and in 2015 during a spell of swimming every day, Matt went on a field trip to New Zealand for university and couldn’t swim each morning. Instead he started running around the dramatic landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island. Soon he was hooked. With a new-found love for running and a background in swimming, triathlon was an obvious next step. Matt dabbled with the long distance format – completing a bunch of halves and one full Ironman – but eventually realised triathlons are more about cycling. Matt enjoyed the variety in training, but preferred to spend long days out on the trail rather than on a road bike. Eventually his focus shifted from doing triathlons in the summer and trail running in the winter to only competing in trail races year-round. Starting with relatively short distances, Matt progressed to ultras and found his sweet spot in events 50–100km long. In 2019, Matt competed in 14 events, at distances ranging from a marathon to 160km (100 miles). He was fortunate enough to do a couple of events in early 2020 before coronavirus wreaked havoc to the race calendar and was grateful to get back on the start line for Surf Coast Century (Anglesea, Victoria on the Great Ocean Road) in December 2020. Top Recent Results
Read Matt's blog articles here Follow Matt on Instagram @mattcrehan |
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Ashlee Hendy became a ‘climber’ when she was 12 years old, visiting indoor facilities in Melbourne multiple times per week and entering in climbing competitions throughout her high-school years. Over the next 20 years, her interest quickly turned into an obsession and eventually a lifestyle. She now lives in Natimuk (Western Victoria) where she finally feels at home, just 10 mins from the base of the world-famous Mount Arapiles and within day trip distance of all the best crags in the Grampians. Slow and steady progress has been the key to Ashlee’s ongoing success and love for climbing. She likes to challenge herself physically and mentally on the Wimmera’s finest hard sport and trad routes, but also enjoys a social day at the crag with lifelong climbing buddies just as much as sending a long-term project. Ashlee works at Deakin University and has a degree in Exercise and Sports Science, and a PhD in Neurophysiology, a career that provides her with training knowledge that helps her progress and avoid injury. In late 2021, Ashlee began a new journey. She is currently learning the challenges of climbing throughout pregnancy, and is looking forward to family crag days with partner Chris and their next-generation crusher due in June 2022. Over the years, Ashlee has built up an impressive tick list including some of the countries best routes, as well as a handful of respectable achievements while travelling the USA in 2019: The Grampians: Serpentine (29), Eye of the Tiger (29), Anaconda (28), Touchstone pictures (28), Venom (28), Monkey Puzzle (28), Not Too Bad (28), Desert Crack (27) Arapiles: Slinkin’ Leopard (28), India (28), The Great Escape (28), Required (28, climbed at 12 weeks pregnant), Mind Arthritis (27) USA: Fight Club (30), Disposable Heroes (30), Paradise Lost (29), Snooker (28 – flash), and many more! Read Ashlee's blog articles here Follow Ashlee on Instagram @ashleehendy |
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Sia Kindberg started running at aged 12, when she took the wrong turn around a lake and kept running for 11 hours and realised while she had no sense of direction, she did have the stamina and endurance to go far. An experienced and passionate trail runner, Sia Kindberg is currently training to participate in the 2024 Ice Ultra held in February in the Swedish Arctic Circle. Sia will be the first Australian female to participate in this 5 day event, 230km self-sufficient Ultra Marathon running across snowfields, Arctic tundras and frozen lakes in temperatures as low as -40 degrees. Sia was inspired to sign up for the Ice Ultra after losing two friends to aggressive cancer at the start of 2023, which by served as a potent reminder that “the best time to do something we love or want is always now! We sit and wait for “the right moment” and forget that tomorrow might not even come”. By running the Ice Ultra, Sia is fundraising to rebuild her childhood school in Thailand (fundraising page link below and on her Instagram bio). An interior designer by trade and a mother of two girls who often accompany her on hiking and camping trips. She speaks 5 languages and had a diverse upbringing. Born in Thailand, moved to Sweden at the age of eight, studied in Germany and Greece. Previously a Road Ultra Marathon runner, now focusing mainly on trail and mountain running. The events she completed include the Great Ocean Road Ultra, Surf Coast Century, Gone Nuts, Mount Macedon Ultra, Mount Buller Sky Run and Warburton Trail Fest. A passional advocate for the outdoor life, Sia believes that running / trail running is accessible for everyone - arguing that it is a sport for all sizes and ages. “It’s not about how fast or how far you go and sometimes it’s not even about running. It’s about getting out there moving and being outdoors”. Nature, she believes has an incredible power to heal, cleanse, strengthen and give peace. It’s important we incorporate that into our own and our children’s lives! Training 5 days a week, Sia is currently taking advantage of the Victorian winter to train in snow and icy conditions in and around the national parks and snow fields across the state. Follow Sia on Instagram @siakindberg |
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Mitch Docker may be known to you as a world tour elite level pro cyclist. He competed on the professional circuit from 2006 to 2021. He retired from pro cycling at the end of 2021. Well known as a classics rider he nevertheless competed in and finished seven of cycling’s gruelling 21 day Grand Tours with the steep and narrow roads of Spain a constant companion over many editions of the Vuelta a España. Since he rode his final professional race at the 2021 Paris-Roubaix, Mitch has been redicovering all of the things that made him fall in love with cycling in the first place. He has come home to Australia and been waking up for bunch rides that finish when Melbourne’s cafés open. He has got into the mountain biking scene and can often be found at grit or gravel races. Mitch has an elite understanding and knowledge of the nutrition needs for endurance events and his connection with and advocacy for Skratch Labs products is what has led him to Bogong. This knowledge is directly applicable to our trail running customers. He is expanding his interests into the outdoors and recently placed 6th male and 7th overall in the 2023 Surf Coast Century 50km trail running event with a time of 4 hours 33 minutes 20 seconds plus perhaps give some rock climbing a try. You can catch Mitch on his podcast Life in the Peloton, which is about all things cycling and more, and has been keeping busy commentating, podcasting and coaching endurance athletes. Follow Mitch on Instagram @mitchbowen |
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Claire Cheffings Claire is a local Melbourne climber. She bought both her first and most recent pairs of shoes from Bogong, as well as plenty of gear that's part of a great range of products and in-person experience. Throughout this journey so far, Claire has become the Junior Victorian Lead Champion for 2023, the Junior Vice National Champion for both 2022 and 2023, placed as the highest Australian in her category at the 2022 Youth World Championships in Boulder, and qualified for Boulder and Lead at the 2023 Youth World Championships. Follow Claire on Instagram @misscheff.ings
Harper Migios Harper is a 16 year old rock climber who has been coming 2nd in both Lead and Boulder for Youth National Championships in Australia as well as winning the Victorian Youth Boulder Titles. He is also participating in the 32nd edition of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Youth World Championships in Seoul this year. Follow Harper on Instagram @harper.climbs |
